


Towards A Dream

by stxrdrifter



Category: Persona 5
Genre: F/F, Fluff, Futaba experiences a crush, Human Morgana (Persona Series), I'm based, Like I've beaten Strikers twice spoilers, Like super super endgame spoilers, M/M, Major Royal spoilers, Major Strikers spoilers, Mentions of Kirijo Mitsuru/Yamagishi Fuuka, Multi, New Years Reunion, Polythieves? Kinda, So here's a new ship, They're not present in the fic but they're referenced, human sophia, that's a lie but you'll seriously wanna finish Strikers, very very little angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-19
Updated: 2021-03-19
Packaged: 2021-03-28 08:41:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,049
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30136944
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stxrdrifter/pseuds/stxrdrifter
Summary: And then the bell rang one more time.“Hello!!”“That voice…!” Futaba looked up from her laptop at the newest entrants to her father’s cafe. One wore long brown hair, a knee-length grey coat, and a strange chain-like ear accessory with a hoop on the end.And the other was someone Futaba hadn’t expected to see like this again.Short red hair, styled in a pixie cut. Oversized plain white hoodie. Bright blue eyes and charming smile. Ripped black jeans (those are new, Futaba thought) and white sneakers.“Sophia."==========The Phantom Thieves have a get together for New Years Eve.
Relationships: Kitagawa Yusuke/Okumura Haru, Kurusu Akira/Sakamoto Ryuji, Kurusu Akira/Yoshizawa Sumire | Yoshizawa Kasumi, Niijima Makoto/Suzui Shiho/Takamaki Ann, Sophia (Persona Series)/Sakura Futaba
Comments: 9
Kudos: 22





	Towards A Dream

**Author's Note:**

> Okay so this is probably going to get marked off as a crackfic but if you read it I love you
> 
> Watching these two idiots in Strikers was so enticing because Futaba spends the entire game quietly pining and okay maybe I'm just really really really gay but I promise it's there.
> 
> This wasn't beta-read, but [_amageish_](https://archiveofourown.org/users/amageish) helped with a few sections, so shoutouts to them.
> 
> Enjoy! Comments appreciated!!

“Can you believe it’s already been a whole year since we killed god?”

“... What the hell are you kids talking about?”

Akira and Futaba sat in the booth, doing vaguely nothing while they waited for their friends to arrive for their New Year’s Eve get-together. It had only been a few months since they all last saw each other (together, in the same room, since Futaba and Ann go to the same high school) but for some reason, it felt like an eternity to both the ginger and her delinquent surrogate brother.

(She had legitimately asked Sojiro if he’d adopt him.

…

He said don’t tempt him.)

“By the way, where’s Morgana?” Futaba asked.

Akira looked over at the bar. “He’s on his way. He’s got some business to attend to that he wouldn’t tell me about, so I’m not entirely sure.”

Sojiro perked up at the remark. “What kind of cat has business to attend to?!”

And to make things more ominous, Akira simply sipped his coffee and answered, “You’ll see.”

Before Futaba could inquire as to what the everloving fuck Akira was talking about, the cafe door opened and more of their friends strolled in.

“Hey hey!” chimed a lovable dorky bleach blond bi boy named Ryuji Sakamoto.

“Hope we’re not late!” chirped his adorable sapphic also blonde companion Ann Takamaki.

“Ann, you intentionally dragged us all here fifteen minutes early to avoid that exact thing,” groaned Ann’s exhausted kickboxing brunette girlfriend Shiho Suzui.

“Hush! Let me enjoy this!” Ann piped back.

Futaba snickered. “You two bicker like an old married couple.”

And as if to advertise Ann had the full intention of marrying Shiho, she pulled the brunette into a showy kiss, holding her close for a moment before separating. “We will be one day,” she said breathless.

Shiho’s eyes were wide. “Never do that again.”

“But I love you!!” Ann whined as she kissed Shiho on the cheek.

The former volleyball player squirmed out of Ann’s grasp. “We’re in public and at a party, jeez.”

A pout graced Ann’s face as she was pulled into the booth across from Futaba and Akira. Ryuji rubbed her back in a mock-soothing manner. “Don’t worry, Ann. You can have her all you want later.”

Futaba looked away. “Gross.” Ann’s head nearly falling to Shiho’s shoulder before resiting caught the corner of Futaba’s eye. “What about your  _ other  _ girlfriend?”

“Makoto’s on her way, she just wanted to pick something up first,” Shiho answered. Ann gave her a look of utter betrayal, as though her opportunity to gush over her girlfriend was stolen out from under her.

(It was, but that wasn’t important.)

Ryuji made a face that looked almost uncomfortable. Akira didn’t seem to notice, but Futaba (in all her hyperaware glory) noticed immediately. She pulled out her phone.

> **FS:** _ what’s up? _

Ryuji looked back at her with a confused look on his face, but pulled his own phone out and typed a response.

> **RS:** _ wdym _ _  
>  _ **FS:** _ you keep looking at akira like you’re resisting making out _ _  
>  _ **RS:** _ HEY _

Futaba looked back around the table, seeing Akira, Ann and Shiho all making amble conversation about something Futaba couldn’t care less about. Akira kept giving eyes to Ryuji, eyes the blond didn’t seem to notice. 

> **FS:** _ we can switch seats _

Ryuji didn’t reply, instead shooting her an almost desperately hopeful look. Futaba silently raised an eyebrow, as if to say,  _ do you want to? _

And Ryuji nodded vigorously, as if to say,  _ yes please let me sit next to my boyfriend im so desperate and gay _ .

(Futaba may have embellished exactly how desperate his nod was.)

The ginger pulled herself out of the booth, and at the same time, Ryuji slid under the table like a weird blond snake, popping up next to Akira with a smile. “Hey.”

Akira, looking completely bewildered but not at all complaining, simply replied, “Hey.”

Blond hair fell on the raven’s shoulder, and Ann’s jaw fell open. “Shiho! They’re being all cuddly! Why won’t you be cuddly with me?” She punctuated her whining with a scowl.

Shiho rolled her eyes, her lips curling into a dumb smile. “Fiiine,” she groaned, before she leaned her head on Ann’s shoulder and cuddled close.

“Ann, you look like you ate too much of Sojiro’s curry,” Akira teased. He had a point, though. Ann was blushing up a storm in the corner seat. “I can’t imagine what you must be like when Makoto’s around.”

Ann covered her face embarrassedly, and Shiho giggled. “She’s a lot more forward in private, let me tell you.”

“Shiho!” 

“I’m just being honest!”

The group fell into giggles as the bell above the door rang once more, and in came Makoto, Haru, and Yusuke.

“Please,” Yusuke grunted, “never take me on that death machine again.”

Makoto let out a chuckle as she climbed over the booth seat to sit next to her girlfriend. “You’re fine, I wasn’t even hitting the speed limit.”

Yusuke, definitely not fine, all but fell into the barstool next to Haru. Haru let out a soft giggle. “I’m surprised we both arrived at the same time!”

“Why didn’t you come with Haru?” Ryuji probed. 

“I got there first,” Makoto said with a sly smirk. “Haru texted me asking me to pick him up, since I was much closer and Yusuke was already on my way.”

Yusuke, face down on the counter, let out a groan. “I wholly regret allowing you to take me here.”

“Is he gonna be okay?”

“He’ll be fine,” Haru cooed, rubbing the artist’s back. Sojiro placed a cup of water in front of him and he all but poured the glass over himself, drinking up the contents in one fell gulp and letting out a gasp as he finished.

“See? Good as new!”

Yusuke spun around on the barstool to face the rest of the group, framing with his fingers the view of Makoto, Ann, and Shiho curled up against each other across from Akira and Ryuji.

And Futaba. She was also there.

She waved.

(Yusuke waved back.)

“So, what have we missed?” Yusuke spoke.

“Akira being cryptic about Morgana, Ann attempting to face-fuck Shiho before she’d even sat down,” Futaba gestured vaguely as she spoke, as though this was a regular occurrence. “Y’know, our normal shenanigans.”

Ann looked utterly betrayed. “I did not attempt to—”

“Yes you did,” spoke the three other voices of people who witnessed her bordering on making out with Shiho after just barely stepping in the door.

Ann crossed her arms with a “hmph!” and began to pout. “I just want to love my girlfriends…”

Makoto pressed a soft kiss to her cheek. “I’m sure there’s a more appropriate time for that than a reunion, darling.”

And Ann, apparently made of poppy petals, turned bright red once again, leeching a giggle out of Shiho and Futaba.

The group fell into lively conversation once again, and nobody heard the bell ring above the door, announcing the entrance of a black haired boy with a yellow tie and black evening shirt.

“Sorry, kid, we’re closed,” Sojiro said over the gaggle of teenagers.

The boy pulled off his sunglasses and tucked them in his vest pocket. “Don’t worry, I’m a member of the group.”

Ann and Makoto turned their heads to the commotion, jaws falling wide, before everyone else turned to look. The boy gave Ann a cheeky smile.

“Nice to see you again, Lady Ann.”

If it was even possible, Ann’s eyes widened. “M-M-M-M—”

“ _ Morgana?! _ ”

Morgana offered a gentlemanly bow. “In the flesh!”

Sojiro (for obvious reasons) was the most taken aback, shouting, “Akira’s  _ cat?! _ ” 

“You know how we used to fight monsters in an alternate dimension, right?” Akira explained to the father figure. “You remember how he was one of our teammates?”

Sojiro pinched his brow. “I thought… I thought that was some elaborate joke…”

A smirk crossed Akira’s lips. “I happen to be personally acquainted with some other Persona users, and they helped him get a human form.”

Everyone went silent. All of their expressions were identical: utter disbelief.

“Who? Who could you  _ possibly  _ know?” Futaba interrogated, poking a finger to his chest.

Akira raised his hands in mock surrender. “Her name is Fuuka Yamagishi. She was my babysitter when I was a kid.”

“Who the hell is Fuuka Yamagishi?” Ryuji shouted.

“By extension, I also know her wife,” Akira continued. He paused for dramatic effect, allowing everyone to lean in a moment before he finally gave them what they were looking for. And when just enough time had passed, he spoke. “Mi—”

“ _ Hello! _ ” shouted a voice from the door. Everyone, rather frustrated with the sudden anticlimax, turned to see—

“Gramps! You came!” Futaba shouted. 

“It’s delightful to see you again, Hasegawa-san,” Yusuke greeted. 

“Glad to see you kids are still alright. Hope you don’t mind, I brought someone else along.” Akane stepped out from behind Zenkichi, giving a cheerful wave.

“Akane!” Makoto chimed. 

“Hey guys!” Akane greeted again. 

Everyone stood up to go hug Akane, since it had been a good little while since everyone had seen her, aside from Shiho and Akira, who went upstairs to retrieve chairs for the larger group.

“So,” Shiho interrogated. “You and Ryuji, huh?”

Akira smiled meekly. “Yeah, he’s pretty great, isn’t he?”

“I’m just surprised is all. He wasn’t…” Shiho gripped her wrist nervously, “He wasn’t always the best with queer people.”

Akira gripped her hands softly. “Shiho, I know. We’ve… we’ve worked things out. He told me everything, and I trust that he’s remorseful about it all.”

“Well obviously. He’s dating you, afterall.”

Akira laughed. “Yeah, you’re right.” His cheeks turned a soft pink. “He’s really sweet.”

Shiho’s lips curled into a supportive smile. “Dude, I know. Legal obligation and all, but if you hurt him I’ll kick your ass.”

Akira stepped back and fell into a bow. “Yes, ma’am.”

The two returned downstairs with a few chairs, setting them up next to the booth, when a swath of red hair caught Akira’s eye.

“Senpai! Hey!”

“Sumire!” Akira stepped past the cluster of bodies to pull Sumire into a hug. “It’s good to see you. I hope the train ride wasn’t too bad.”

“No,” the younger girl replied, holding him a little bit closer. “It was fine. Nice and quiet!”

The pair separated. “Glad to hear. Come on, I think I should introduce you to some of our gang’s new members.”

Sumire, Akane, Morgana, and Shiho got to know each other while everyone else returned to  _ almost  _ their original seats. Makoto sat between Shiho and Ann, walled in by her favourite two cuddly lesbians, and Akira sat opposite her between Sumire and Ryuji, feeling about the same amount of affection from both sides. Yusuke and Haru still sat at the bar, Futaba and Morgana had moved to the next booth over, and Zenkichi and Akane sat in the spare chairs. The party was lively; chats of dreams, of business, of recent endeavors and whatever Sumire’s been up to filling the spruce-walled cafe. 

And then the bell rang one more time.

“Hello!!”

“That voice…!” Futaba looked up from her laptop at the newest entrants to her father’s cafe. One wore long brown hair, a knee-length grey coat, and a strange chain-like ear accessory with a hoop on the end.

And the other was someone Futaba hadn’t expected to see like this again.

Short red hair, styled in a pixie cut. Oversized plain white hoodie. Bright blue eyes and charming smile. Ripped black jeans (those are new, Futaba thought) and white sneakers.

“Sophia,” Futaba gasped. Everyone else turned to see the pair, but Futaba was already on her feet and sprinting the short distance to the door, crashing into Sophia as she pulled the girl into a hug.

Sophia was just as soft as Futaba expected. Her hugs were just as amazing as Futaba expected. Her pulse was just as relaxing as Futaba…

Wait.

Her pulse?

Futaba separated herself from the AI. “S-Sophia! You’re…”

The girl struck a pose. “I’m a human! Totally human!”

And Futaba couldn’t contain her stupid joyous grin as she pulled Sophia into another hug, this one tighter and a little bit comfier and all the more amazing knowing Sophia wasn’t going to disappear.

“I’m so happy, Sophia! I didn’t know if I’d get to see you like this again!” She muttered into the human girl’s ear. Tears welled in her eyes, still unable to believe that this was real.

Sophia hugged her back. “It’s all thanks to Ichinose.”

Futaba looked up at the AI researcher. “I happen to have a few connections, afterall. Mitsuru Kirijo, as hard as she can be to reach, is pretty easy to get a hold of if you mention there’s personas and shadows involved.”

“Or if you know her wife,” Akira gloated. The group returned their awestruck gaze back to him. 

Ichinose pressed a finger to her chin. “If I recall correctly, she did mention that this wasn’t the first time she’d been asked for a favour like this. I imagine that Morgana was the first, right?”

Morgana gave a quick wave. “Hey, Ichinose. Good to see ya again!”

Ichinose waved back. “Good to see you too. All of you, Phantom Thieves, it’s a pleasure to have been—”

She was cut off as a dull thump rang through the establishment. Futaba turned, with everyone else, to see—

“Oh, right. Akane didn’t know we’re the Phantom Thieves.”

The group migrated upstairs, placing Akane’s unconscious form gently on the bed. Zenkichi continued to brush her hair from her face, his expression a strange blend of concerned and delighted.

“I mean, she was bound to find out eventually, right?” Ann said in an attempt to lighten the mood.

“I wasn’t going to tell her, but I suppose I didn’t get much of a choice,” Zenkichi responded. “Still, it’s… probably for the best she found out.”

“I concur. Our relationship may have been hampered if she were to remain unaware. Dishonesty breeds failed friendships, after all.” Yusuke gave a nod. “This is the best outcome, most certainly.”

“I mean, we probably could have done without her fainting,” Shiho remarked. 

“I hope she’s not concussed,” Makoto added from her place in Shiho’s lap. 

“Forgive me for asking,” Sumire began, “But are you two…” she gestured to Zenkichi and Ichinose, “you know…”

Ichinose let out a laugh. “No, dear. I’m not a Phantom Thief. My daughter is, though!” She gestured to Sophia, who gave a charming smile and a wave. 

“That’s right!” Sophia cheered. Futaba’s heart soared in her chest at the sound of her chipper voice and had to resist leaping out of her chair and dragging Sophia back to her home to cuddle or kiss or whatever people did with their crushes.

(Okay, so  _ maybe  _ Futaba had a massive unadulterated crush on the former AI. How could she not? She was so damn cute and even more damn interesting! Her code was some of the most interesting code she’d ever seen. Not to mention she was so goddamn wholesome and heartwarming and did she mention cute?)

“You alright over there, bug?” 

Futaba looked up. “Huh? What? Yeah, I’m fine!” She said like a complete liar. Her fingers felt at her cheeks for warmth, detecting an absurd amount, which scientifically meant—

“You’re blushing like crazy over there, dude. What’s got you so worked up?”

Futaba shot Ryuji a dangerous glare. “Nothing,” she answered, with absolutely none of the intimidation factor her stare held.

The trio of lesbians on the couch giggled. “Futaba’s got a cruuush!” They sung devilishly.

Futaba felt her cheeks heat up more, the warmth spreading to her ears, and she covered her face. Meanwhile, Sophia looked around the room, incredibly confused.

(It was adorable.)

“I think we shouldn’t bother Futaba-chan,” Haru said, making her the new god Futaba prayed to before bed. “For a girl her age, it must be hard to have a crush.” Okay nevermind then.

“I don’t have a crush,” Futaba mumbled like a complete liar.

Akira patted her back. “It’s okay, bug. We’re all friends here.”

Ichinose, Morgana and Zenkichi had since gone downstairs to converse with Sojiro (since the current conversation wasn’t their scene, and Akane was in decent enough care with the thieves that Zenkichi knew she’d be okay), leaving only the young adults in the room.

And, of course, Futaba, Sumire, Sophia, and Akane.

(Did Sophia count as a teenager? How old was she considered?)

“Of course!” Sumire chirped. “All of us have had crushes!”

“Yeah, but all of yours have been mutual. I don’t know if mine is even close,” Futaba mumbled once again. At least she was honest this time.

Sophia still looked rather confused. “What is a  _ crush _ ?” 

“It is when one’s heart yearns for another, seeking affection, love, and comfort from the crush’s target,” Yusuke put in words only he could come up with.

“It’s like being in love with someone, but a bit less,” Makoto simplified. “Of course, it can blossom into love, but it’s more like the beginning stages of that.”

“It’s a bit like wanting something you can’t have,” Akira added, “but instead of it being a something, it’s a some _ one _ , and you’re not sure if they want you back in the same way.”

“The heart is incredibly complicated, it’s okay if you don’t quite understand,” Haru chimed in. 

Sophia smiled. “Well, I love you all. You’re my friends! Does that count?”

“Not quite,” Ann replied. 

“What about mom? Er, Ichinose?”

“It’s adorable you call her mom, but no,” Ryuji answered.

Without looking up from her knees, Futaba began to speak. “It’s like… when you want to be with someone, both physically and emotionally. You want them to be close to you, to… hold you, and be there for you. They’re your best friend, but more than that. It’s… It’s like they’re the most important person in the world to you, because you chose them and they chose you. That’s what… that’s what that kind of love is.”

“Yeah! A crush is just when someone feels a desire for that kind of love for someone.” Shiho brushed a bit of hair from Makoto’s face and gave her a chaste kiss. “You trust them more than anything, and you just feel comfortable with them, like everything’s going to be okay.” She did the same to Ann, brushing a cluster of hair away and kissing her on the cheek.

“That was quite possibly the gayest thing I’ve ever seen,” Ryuji conceded. 

The group fell into a bout of laughter, but Sophia still looked confused. “I think I understand,” she revealed, “but I’m still a bit confused.”

“It’s all a mess, don’t worry,” Akira reassured the redhead. “You’ll know it when you feel it for the first time. It’s not really something that can be explained away.”

“No, I get that, but… what is, ‘gay’?”

Ann choked, Ryuji nearly fell over, and Shiho devolved into unhinged hysterical cackling. The rest of the group (sans Sophia) matched the chaotic energy of laughter for the passing moment. 

“Oh, Sophia, welcome to the team. We’re all gay here,” Akira stated, wiping joyous tears from his eyes.

“Being gay just means you feel that kind of romantic love for someone of the same gender, on a  _ base  _ level,” Makoto explained. “However, it’s kind of become an umbrella term to refer to someone who isn’t a heterosexual.”

“So, gay means homosexual?”

“Well, yes and no— I’ll just send you a few links, and you can read them later. Point is, we’re all gay.”

Sophia, finally, wore a smile. “I think… I think I get it now. I get what this  _ love  _ is.” Her icy blue eyes locked with Futaba’s. “It’s trust, affection, and gratitude, and most of all, comfort.”

Futaba let out a very audible squeak at the sudden eye-contact. She felt her face warm up once again, spreading to her neck and her ears. A few giggles emanated from around her.

“Well, Futaba,” Ryuji cooed, “I think it’s mutual.”

Futaba flipped him off. Sophia looked confused.

Still, Futaba had a lot of questions. Sure, she had an absolutely massive crush on Sophia, but Sophia was an AI until recently. She didn’t understand love or affection, didn’t know all of these emotions and feelings, until just moments ago. And even then, could Futaba be sure she felt the same? 

She was a real girl now. If she hadn’t had Pandora as a persona, Pinnochio would have been a perfect fit. Did she have all the same body functions, nervous responses, chemicals and fluids as everyone else? Did her brain produce dopamine, serotonin, glutamine, or norepinephrine? Morgana was most likely, since he started out with a physical form that had blood and bones, but Sophia was an AI. She was rendered into a physical state by the Metaverse, or at least that’s how Futaba understood it. Did that physical state have blood and bones too? Or was it just a mass of flesh comparable to a shadow?

(She’d read, in her various break-ins to the Kirijo lab reports, that they’d managed to tame a shadow. The reports of the shadow’s bodily functions were absurd, lacking any bones or brain or fluids.

Would Sophia be the same?

Would it matter if she wasn’t?

She loved Sophia. At least, she felt like she did. Whether or not it classified as chemical love, whether or not her brain created oxytocin, didn’t matter. Sophia made her feel happy, made her feel safe, made her feel comfortable. Platonic or romantic, Sophia was someone she felt for. It was a natural product of spending countless hours chipping away at her code, attempting to build the most complicated program Futaba’s ever made, just so Sophia could move between devices with at least a little bit of ease. She’d spent  _ hours _ , cumulative days with the girl. Sometimes it was in silence, sometimes it was with lively conversation, sometimes it was screaming at the top of her lungs as Haru broke every single law of both driving and physics. It was a lot of time.

Not to mention their trips to the Metaverse, of course. Fighting by one’s side, leading them to victory, trusting someone with your life that they’ll lead you to safety. It was bound to strengthen bonds.)

Futaba was pulled from her extensive thoughts by the sound of both Akane rising from the bed, and Morgana’s footsteps up the stairs. The girl groaned, looking over at the group of teenagers. “Wh… where am I?”

Ever the one for subtlety, Ryuji was the one to answer with, “You passed out after you found out we were the Phantom Thieves.”

And like old times, Ann chided her long time friend with a scornful, “Ryuji!” 

Akane’s head hit the pillow once more. Akira rose from his seat and rushed over to her, ensuring she hadn’t passed out again. Her chest rose and fell rapidly, her eyes were still open, and she was  _ definitely  _ having a panic attack.

“Oh my god, you guys are the Phantom Thieves!” Futaba heard her whisper. 

“Morgana, get her some water! And Zenkichi!” Akira shouted before turning back to the teenager. “Hey, listen, I need you to—”

“You saw my show, my room, my figures… oh my god, you guys must think I’m a freak!!” 

Akira managed to handle everything with exceptional grace, while the rest of the thieves sat there, completely unsure of what to do. “No, no, that’s not it! We thought— look, it doesn’t matter. You’re having a panic attack right now, and—”

Deep thumps rose from the stairs as Morgana returned with water and Zenkichi. “Akane?”

“I’m so sorry! I’m so sorry! I was totally weird, and—”

“No, no!” Akira held her hands, trying desperately to calm her down. Zenkichi rushed across the room and sat beside her, brushing her hair from her face. “Look, it’s okay! You didn’t know! Just breathe with me, alright?”

“A-A-Alright,” Akane muttered. 

Akira’s grip on the girl’s hands tensed as he spoke calmly. “Alright, breathe in…” Futaba instinctively counted to three in her head before, “and out…” and another three. “Breathe in…” She counted again, slower, “and out…” and she counted once more.

It was a technique Akira had helped her learn on their outings, back when she’d first started leaving the house again. She’d had frequent panic attacks, and Akira would always be there to calm her down.

And soon enough, Akane’s breathing was steady. She sat up off the bed, resting her head against Zenkichi’s shoulder. “I’m sorry, you guys.”

“No no! It’s okay! We totally get it,” Ann said supportively. “It’s… weird to meet your heroes for the first time, especially when you didn’t know they were your heroes.”

“We weren’t going to tell you,” said Makoto, “but it just sort of… slipped.”

“Why… why would you keep that a secret?” Akane brushed a tear from her eye. “You save people, why don’t you tell them who you are?”

“We’re not particularly respected by the law. And besides, it would be impossible to function if the world knew the faces behind the mystical saviours of justice.” 

“Ever the way with words, Yusuke,” Ryuji groaned.

“He’s right though. If people knew our identities, we wouldn’t be able to change people’s hearts like we do. We’d be arrested, or people would increase their guards.” The look in Akira’s eyes as he spoke was earnest, and his voice remained perfectly calm. “You can’t file a restraining order against a ghost.”

“You can’t put a hit out on one either,” Futaba muttered.

“He’s right, you know. We wouldn’t have been able to do anything against Konoe if he knew who we were. These guys wouldn’t have been able to stop Shido, or Kaneshiro like they did if they had their faces public.” Zenkichi hugged his daughter. “I’m sorry we hid this from you. I wanted to tell you sooner or later, but I didn’t want to lose you.”

“Wait…” Akane separated herself from her father, looking up at him in shock. “You were a Phantom Thief?!” 

“What, you didn’t recognize his voice in the last calling card?” Futaba had already pulled up the video and was playing it back.

_ “Are you listening, Konoe? Toying with innocent lives, slandering us… _ ”

“You’ve been busy, but so have we!” Akane filled in, her voice deep to mimic Zenkichi’s tone. “Wait, that was you?”

“Haha, yeah… that was me.” Her father rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. “Honestly, Futaba gave me no preparation or rehearsal. The kid just started the broadcast and said go.”

“I’m right here, Zenkichi,” Futaba groaned.

“I didn’t even get to write a calling card,” Sumire moped.

“Neither did I,” Morgana added.

“I wasn’t even a Phantom Thief,” Shiho reminded the room.

“I think you’re an honorary thief. We wouldn’t be doing this if it weren’t for you,” Ryuji offered.

“Zenkichi’s right, you know,” Haru added. “You do have a tendency to go live before the rest of us have any time to prepare.”

“Hey! I gave you ample preparation for the last one!”

“That is false,” Sophia retorted. Futaba’s head fell into her hands.

A beat of silence fell over the room as Futaba stared daggers at the former thieves, but it was quickly filled with Akane’s laughter. “Man, how did you guys get anything done? You’re all such dorks!” 

The girl nearly fell off the bed as she devolved into hysterics. A few glances ran back and forth between the thieves before they joined her in her laughter. The energy in the Leblanc attic quickly warmed back up, and Sojiro and Ichinose returned up the stairs. 

“Man, what’s all the ruckus up here?”

“Akane’s just making fun of us for being dorks,” Ann said cheerfully.

Ichinose smiled. “She’s not wrong, you know. Now come on. Food’s ready!”

Sophia jumped out of her seat. “Sojiro’s curry!” 

“It’s what I do best,” Sojiro answered with a smile.

“Mmm! I’ve been waiting to try it since I got this form!” The girl rushed down the stairs, and the rest of the thieves followed her.

Plus Akane, their newest Phantom Thief. 

The meal was lively as could be. Morgana ate the curry with more grace than Futaba expected of someone who was a cat until recently, while Ryuji and Ann gobbled theirs down like they’d not eaten a meal in their lives. Akane and Morgana hit it off, for some reason. Maybe Akane was curious what it was like to be a cat, or Morgana had somehow charmed Akane (a thought Futaba dreaded). Zenkichi, Ichinose, and Sojiro conversed avidly with Akira, remarking how they’d all come to be almost like parental figures to the boy. He shrugged it off, saying it was only fair, since he’d pulled all three of them out of some pretty deep holes before. 

(Sojiro did  _ not  _ mention that he was genuinely considering adopting the boy.)

And the entire meal, Sophia could not wipe the smile off of her face. Through it all, she looked as happy as one could possibly be. She chatted with Shiho about volleyball and kickboxing, with Makoto about high school and education, with Haru and Yusuke about food and art, all things she’d become obsessed with. Highlights of human experience, things she was finally able to experience for herself. 

Futaba melted every time she looked at Sophia. Seeing her so happy made Futaba feel like her dopamine and serotonin drives had been boosted to the maximum. And Futaba could only really stare in awe. She’d been in a similar spot before, arguably, having to relearn the mechanics of the real world with nothing more than Akira Kurusu and a dream, so seeing someone so effortlessly enjoying everything the world has to offer hit particularly close to her.

She couldn’t help but feel… proud? Yeah, proud.

But Futaba must have been caught staring, because her phone vibrated with a message from Ryuji.

> **RS:** _ we can switch seats if u want _ _  
>  _ **FS:** _???? _ _  
>  _ **RS:** _ you’re staring _

Oops.

> **FS:** _ no im good _

She yanked her eyes away from the girl and to literally anything else, and they fell to Ichinose. Futaba recalled her earlier curiosity and decided to psych herself up to—

“Hey Ichinose, how did Kirijo give Sophia a body?”

_ Dammit, Ann. Way to steal my thunder. _

“I’m not entirely sure,” Ichinose answered. “They’d had research regarding shadows having human forms, or being tamed, so I think they messed with some of that and ran a lot of experiments.” She shrugged ominously, most likely trying to downplay how much she  _ actually  _ knew so as to avoid giving Sophia an existential crisis. “What I do know, is that Sophia is 100% human. Well, more like 98% since she started out as an AI, but it’s complicated.”

“It should also be noted that Sophia definitely has a soul,” Morgana added. “She wouldn’t be able to summon a persona without one, so there’s definitely one in there. That said, it wouldn’t have been like it was for me, because I already had a human form and—”

“Morgana,” Akira chided. 

“Right, sorry,” the newly teenage boy ceased. Glances of confusion and bewilderment and curiosity were traded around the room, but inevitably things fell back to neutral banter while they waited for the right time to leave to watch the fireworks. Under all of it, though, Sophia suddenly looked… distraught. It was pretty understandable, since the conversation had just dipped into her reason for having human existence, but it wasn’t fading and Futaba began to worry.

And of course, that worry escalated moments later when Sophia stood up.

“I’m going outside to get some fresh air,” she announced idly. A few people nodded, but the rest carried on with their conversations as she awkwardly scooted out of the booth and out the front door.

Futaba fiddled with her fingers in her internal dilemma to chase after her friend. She assumed Akira would do it, or maybe Ichinose, but why would Futaba? She was just a hacker girl with a big crush, she was nobody special when it came to Sophia’s life.

Her phone lit up. She quickly checked it.

> **AK** :  _ Do you wanna go after her? _

_ What? _

> **FS:** _ why not you? you helped her the most out of all of us _ _  
>  _ **AK:** _ Are you sure? I just taught her some heart stuff, but you’re the one that let her out of my phone. _ __  
>  **AK:** _ You picked apart her code, tried to understand her at the deepest level. _ _  
>  _ **AK:** _ I just helped her with understanding emotions. You helped her with understanding what she was. _   
>  **AK:** __ Also everyone here can tell you have a crush on her. Shoot your shot, Bug, before you miss.

Futaba looked across the room to Akira. He was smiling over at her, a kind and familiar smile she’d grown to love and appreciate a long time ago. It was one that encouraged her to push her limits, to fight her battles and come out on top.

And it was going to encourage her to confess to her crush.

_ Holy shit she was going to confess to her crush. _

**FS:** _ thank you _

Futaba stood from the booth and made her way outside after the girl. She found Sophia sitting on the bench in front of the laundromat just across the alleyway, looking dejected and confused. Futaba pushed back the snapping heartstrings in her chest—this wasn’t about her, it was about Sophia—and she sat down next to the girl.

“Hey,” Futaba whispered. “You feeling alright?”

The answer was obvious. Still, Sophia answered, “Kind of. I’m just…  _ bleh. _ ”

The ginger giggled. “Bleh, huh? I know that feeling.”

Sophia cracked a soft smile and giggled alongside the hacker, but her frown quickly returned. “I don’t know why I feel this way whenever people talk about me becoming human.”

“What do you mean?”

A sigh forced its way out from Sophia’s lungs. “I feel… cold. On the inside. It’s a weird feeling, and I… I don’t like it.”

“Yeah, that sounds like your basic existential crisis to me.”

Sophia gave Futaba a look of puzzlement, prompting Futaba to explain. “Existential crises happen when someone ponders their reason for living, for being human, a little bit too hard. You know, the whole, ‘what is the meaning of life?’ kinda crap.” 

“I don’t understand.”

“Well… humans like having answers. We’re stupid like that,” Futaba explained as she popped the joints in her neck. “We want to know why humanity exists, how it came to be.”

Sophia tilted her head to the side. “I thought all life stems from single celled organisms from millions of years ago.”

“That’s one interpretation,” Futaba replied. “Many people believe there are all-powerful deities that created life, but that only answers one of the questions:  _ how  _ human life came to be. We still have the other one, which is:  _ why _ .” Shivers ran up her spine as she considered everything that’s led up to now. “And when you’ve fought multiple malevolent gods in an alternate reality, things get…”

“Complicated?”

“Yeah,” Futaba sighed. “Complicated.”

“I know I was created by Kuon Ichinose to become humanity’s companion,” Sophia rambled, “But on my journey with her, I learned something: Humanity does not require a companion. Not one such as myself, anyways.” Her lips curled into a frown as she continued, “So… what does that mean for me? What am I to be, if not humanity’s companion?”

Futaba slid a little bit closer on the bench. “Whatever you want.”

“Whatever I… want?” Sophia’s eyebrows shot up. “But… what do I want?”

“That’s for you to decide, Sophie,” Futaba answered. “But, I know sometimes you might need a little help, so… I want to help you if I can.”

Sophia looked over at Futaba, her expression filled with conflict and uncertainty. A moment of silence passed between them, somehow both calm and tense.

“Futaba,” she eventually asked, “Why do you help me so much?”

Futaba could almost see the dialogue menu in her mind’s eye, the various options hazily laid out before her like she was playing Undertale or Danganronpa. 

> **> You’re interesting to me**

It was true, but it was fairly soulless. Of course, Sophia was interesting, incredibly so, but it wasn’t everything.

> **> I want to know more about AI**

Again, soulless. Plus, now that Sophia wasn’t technically an AI, she would have stopped helping her by now. It was completely false.

> **> Because I’m a nice person**

… That’s the kind of thing a not nice person would say. It was also missing something, like cereal with no milk. Sure, it was accurate, but it wasn’t the bigger picture.

> **> Because I like you**

There was only really one answer left that summed it all up. And it was a terrifying one. Admission to one’s feelings was something that would plague humanity with nervousness and terror for reasons no scholar would ever be able to completely understand. And it wasn’t like this was as simple as Futaba saying ‘because you’re my friend’. 

Sophia was more to her than that.

> **> Because I ** **_like_ ** **you**

Sophia was a million questions. She was confusing and bizarre and otherworldly and Futaba wanted to know everything about her. Futaba wanted to know why Sophia had a soul, what her favourite color was, what made an AI feel emotions, what kind of ice cream she’d eat on a hot August Tuesday, everything. 

Sophia was the Universe, and Futaba was the Fool that gazed at the stars wishing for answers. 

“Because I like you, Sophia,” Futaba said. “I really like you.”

“Like a friend?” Sophia asked, so innocently it made Futaba want to vomit and also kiss her  _ no not that _ .

“No, like…” And whatever idiot deity out there seemed to really hate Futaba today, because everything in her mind was lining up like a shitty teen coming-of-age movie, those movies that were all straight and had no nuance to them, to the point that she could list off their tropes in order well before they showed up. 

But goddammit were they cheesy, and goddammit if they didn’t make Futaba feel warm and fuzzy inside.

“Like…”

_ Fuck it. _

Futaba leaned in and pressed a kiss to Sophia’s lips. It was not soft and not nice and actually very uncomfortable because Futaba had way too much momentum and she could feel her nose cracking. But at least, at least this way she didn’t have to try to explain the intricate nuances of a crush to a redheaded Eleven from Stranger Things.

(Wouldn’t that make Futaba Max then?  _ Woah _ . That’s a ship.)

The kiss lasted all of half a second before Futaba pulled away, red as Arsene’s coattails or Ann’s boob-window. Sophia pressed a hand to her nose.

“Why did you headbutt me?” She muttered. 

“It was supposed to be a kiss…” Futaba meekly replied, pressing her fingers together. “Because I like you as more than a friend. In that crush way we were talking about. And… y’know… Crushes kiss each other. Well—” Futaba trailed off, struggling to find the words she was looking for before settling on, “It’s just a thing you do when you love someone.”

“Like this?” And before Futaba could even react, Sophia was kissing her. Like, lips on lips, soft, noses not breaking, no insane momentum,  _ kissing her _ . Futaba’s heart rate definitely broke 400bpm as metaphorically tore through her ribs and lungs and lept out of her chest like in that short film because  _ holy fuck I’m kissing fucking Sophia and this feels really nice and what the fuck?? _

But the moment (as cheesy as it was) was fleeting as Sophia gently separated herself from Futaba. She wiped a bit of saliva from her lip with the back of her hand, and giggled at Futaba’s very red cheeks, throat, ears, all. Just all of it. She was red. 

“Was that good?” Sophia said with a very cheesy smile.

Futaba nodded gently, careful not to rattle her brain too much lest it explode. “So… wait, you like me too?”

“I’m… not sure.” Sophia’s expression shifted into pondering. “Emotions are still really difficult. I just know that when I’m with you, I feel a lot more… happy… I think.”

Futaba chuckled mischievously. “So you’re saying nobody else makes you happy?”

“N-no!” It was now Sophia’s turn to flush red like her hair. “Everyone else makes me really really happy! But you just make me really really  _ really  _ happy!”

Laughter forced its way from Futaba’s lungs as she doubled over on the bench. “Relax, Sophie. I’m just teasing.”

The girl pouted. “That’s mean, Futaba.”

There was only one line that ran through Futaba’s head, and  _ oh god that’s so cheesy I’ve gotta say it _ .

“It’s because I  _ looove  _ you,” she said flirtatiously, lilting her tone to mimic the way Ann and Shiho spoke to each other. 

And Sophia smiled so widely, so adorably, as she said, “I love you too, Futaba. I think. Like I said, this stuff is really confusing.”

“Yeah…” And because Futaba’s brain had been replaced by John Green’s corpus, she just had to say, “but we can figure it out together, if you want?”

( _ Seriously, when had she gotten so confident? _ )

(...)

( _ Akira. _ )

“I’d like that,” Sophia replied. The two girls hugged, the moment falling quiet and comfortable as the snow began to fall once again.

A few flakes hit Futaba’s scalp and she decided, “Let’s go back inside. We’ve been out here a while, they probably think we died or something.”

Sophia gave Futaba a confused look before asking, “is that a metaphor?”

“Yes it is.”

And okay, sure, Futaba would admit the fireworks were really pretty. The snow falling over a dark Tokyo, lit only by yellow streetlights and neon signage was just as gorgeous. The rest of their evening on its own was more beautiful than it had any right to be.

But the look on Sophia’s face? The smile she wore as they watched the fireworks? The way she said,  _ they’re so much more beautiful in person  _ to Futaba with the most joyous of grins? The way she stared out the car window as they returned to Leblanc? And the tone of her voice as she begged Ichinose for a sleepover?

Futaba could say for certain now that she would take that anyday.

**Author's Note:**

> This took me exactly two weeks to write, and I started writing I think the moment I finished Strikers. I'm on the ninth circle of rarepair hell.


End file.
